In this episode, Ruby Powers sits down with Niki Black — attorney, journalist, and Principal Legal Insight Strategist at 8am — for one of the most data-rich conversations the show has had on AI in the legal profession.

Niki leads the 8am Legal Industry Report, now in its third year tracking AI adoption across law firms. The numbers from this year's report are striking — and not just because adoption has doubled. It's the gap between how fast lawyers are using AI and how slowly firms are governing it that tells the real story.

What we explore:

✅ The Numbers That Matter: 69% of legal professionals now use generative AI for work — up from 31% last year. Only 9% work at firms with an enforced AI policy. Only 11% have received mandatory AI training. What that gap means for your firm right now.

✅ Claude Legal in Action: Niki ran the same research query through multiple tools — one of the big two, Midpage alone, and Claude through Midpage's legal plugin. The difference was not close. A research task that would have taken 10 billable hours as an associate took five minutes — and Claude surfaced issues nobody asked it to find.

✅ The Training Gap Nobody Is Talking About: Large firms are already reducing first-year hires because AI is handling entry-level work. If law schools don't mandate AI training, apprenticeships, and practical firm management, the profession is heading toward a talent moat — no one to promote, no one to lateral in.

✅ Where Clients Are Now Finding Lawyers: Hint — it's not Google. What GEO (generative engine optimization) means for your firm's visibility and what you should be paying attention to now.

✅ How to Actually Start Using AI: Niki's practical framework for dipping your toes in — what to try, what to avoid entering, and how to think about your firm's specific tools and data.

If you're trying to figure out where your firm actually stands on AI — and where the profession is heading — this conversation is the clearest picture we've found.

📣 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

🚀 Law Firm Retreat: Design Your Future – August 2026: Stop the daily grind and start architecting your next era. Join Ruby in Denver for an intimate, 15-firm-only strategic laboratory.

👉 Secure your spot: https://powersstrategygroup.com/law-firm-retreat-august-2026/

📊 We Love Your Feedback! Help us design the next year of the podcast. Take this 2-minute audience survey: https://forms.gle/EgMgxd3tbXCsmqgp9

📌 Join the conversation in our Power Up Your Practice community!

Hosted by Ruby Powers, your guide into the heart of law practice management. Each week, learn insights from leading legal minds, trailblazing attorneys, and expert guests who provide you with actionable advice, out-of-the-box solutions, and a fresh perspective on running your firm more effectively and efficiently. Prepare to open your mind, be inspired, and power up your practice to the next level.

Watch more episodes of Power Up Your Practice on: 🌐 Website: powersstrategygroup.com 📺 YouTube: @powersstrategygroup 💬 Join our Skool Community - Power Hub: https://www.skool.com/powerupyourpractice

Connect and learn more from your host, Ruby Powers: 🔹 LinkedIn: /rubypowers 🔹 Facebook: /poweruppractice 🔹 Website: rubypowers.com 🔹 Ruby's Book: Power Up Your Practice on Amazon

Trusted Resources from Our Toolkit: • Stafi https://calendly.com/d/csbk-3y4-35w/staffing-strategy-session-stafi-ruby-powers?month=2025-07 • Filevine https://www.filevine.com/partner/powers-referral/ • CandleAI https://www.trycandle.ai/powers • Vonage https://share.vonage.com/zones/friend_landing_experience_microsite?extole_share_channel=%5C%22SHARE_LINK%5C%22&extole_shareable_code=wzq4f&referral_id=wzq4f&source=%5C%22direct%5C%22&utm_source=Power+Up+Your+Practice+by+Power+Strategy+Group&utm_campaign=a7c6feafe9-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_04_13_07_58_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3b4d3388ea-a7c6feafe9-746189731